Simina Popescu did a wonderful job creating a story of joy and heartbreak in such a small package. Leap showed how tumultuous being young and queer can be. Even when family accept you, sometimes your other communities don't. I loved the friendship between Ana and Sara. I am so grateful they had each other through a semester of great highs and lows. I believe Leap is a story many young queer people and dancers should read.

This was a really lovely graphic novel. The limited color scheme was well used and the illustrations of the girls dancing were fantastic. The movement was in each image was stunning. The plot explores girls at a dance school navigating queer relationships (both romantic and platonic) as they also balance school work and their goals for the future. It is largely character driven and the two main characters were relatable and chartacters that I wanted to root for.

This book was on my TBR for so long, because I could not convince myself to read it. Dance is not something I am interested in, but I am so glad that I got a DRC! It forced me to pick it up, then I could not put the book down. This book is perfect for queer readers who love a related coming-of-age story!

This is very adorable and as a former dancer, I loved this one. Definitely recommend for the story and the art.

Leap is a fantastic YA graphic novel about dance and coming of age as a queer teen girl in Romania. It follows Ana who is studying contemporary dance and secretly dating one of the classical ballet students. But their relationship is a little one-sided, and while Ana wants to be out in safe public spaces, her girlfriend wants to keep things private. It deals with the pressures of the dance world, including body issues, but is also about finding what you want and learning to set healthy boundaries. I read it all in one sitting and really loved it. I also don't know that I've read a contemporary story set in Bucharest, so that was cool too! I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

"""Leap"" by Simina Popescu is a touching coming-of-age graphic novel set in a conservative performing arts school in Bucharest, Romania. Ana and Carina have been in a secretive relationship for three years, known only to Ana's parents and Sara. Carina, burdened by the fear of being outed in the ballet world, faces intense pressure while alienating Ana. Meanwhile, Sara excels in contemporary dance under the guidance of Marlena, her mentor, instructor, and secret crush. As Ana and Sara are assigned as roommates at the start of junior year, their tentative friendship blossoms into a vital source of support for each other.

Throughout the novel, Popescu delicately explores themes of identity, sacrifice, and the pursuit of dreams. The characters, especially Ana and Sara, are deeply relatable as they navigate complex emotions and difficult decisions. I appreciated how Popescu portrays the challenges of maintaining a hidden relationship, the pressure of artistic pursuits, and the importance of self-discovery.

Above all, ""Leap"" celebrates the strength of friendship and resilience in the face of adversity. Ana's journey of realizing her burnout and choosing to heal rather than quit dance altogether is a poignant reminder of the power of self-care and self-discovery.

The artwork in ""Leap"" is breathtaking, particularly in its portrayal of dance sequences that capture movement with vivid detail.

In conclusion, ""Leap"" is a visually stunning and emotionally resonant graphic novel that not only celebrates the courage to embrace change but also underscores the importance of authenticity and supportive relationships."

*4.5 Stars*

I love a good graphic novel and that was definitely that. The characters were layered which isn't always easy to do in such a short format.
I read this quite fast but I felt every second of it. I loved the school setting and its location, I'm not used to reading books set in Romania and I enjoyed seeing it through the author and their characters.
I enjoyed seeing both characters' journeys throughout the book. I didn't expect the directions the story took and that made me love it even more.
Anyway, I love the gays and you should read this.

Being a teenager and growing into yourself is an emotional time for many people. Throw in complicated first crushes, one that involves discovering your sexuality and the other that involves realizing your first crush/first love is not your forever love, you’re in for a ride. Using little color and focusing on the character’s relationships, Leap follows Ana and Sara, new roommates at a dance school, as they navigate being teens and having to make difficult choices while also learning/accepting themselves. Ana is struggling with her dying passion for dance and feeling alone in her one-sided three year relationship with her closeted girlfriend. Sara is blossoming in dance class under the instruction of her cute mentor but is unsure what these feelings mean. Together, they are discovering what works best for them, makes them happy, and how to get there including allowing themselves to lose people and be hurt by the changes.

Leap is beautifully done, being gentle with the topics mentioned (ex: eating disorders, homophobia, toxic relationships, coming out, discovering sexuality, first crushes, depression, burn out, and more) but did not sugarcoat the truth. Readers are taken through the motions with the characters and each moment pulled at my heart. I was invested and couldn’t help but keep reading, admiring the pages and soaking in the story being comforted by the loving, supportive friendship between Ana and Sara.

A wonderful story where I felt emotionally connected to both main characters. Their friendship felt very authentic. Highly recommend.

Being a teenager is complicated, even more so when you're in a high pressure school and navigating tumultuous relationships. Ana, a contemporary dancer, is dating Carina, a classical dancer. Sara, a contemporary dancer, has a crush on her main dance teacher. Ana and Sara end up as roommates. As they go closer, they navigate crushes, homophobia, complicated relationships, burnout, and the stresses of school.

Leap explores queer relationships (particularly in Romania), healthy and not, coming out, figuring out life goals, and growing up. The characters are well-developed and relatable; they bring you along on their emotional journey as they try to make it through the term. Leap is beautifully illustrated in a flowing style that complements the narrative.

Recommended for those who enjoy a queer, character-focused, coming-of-age story.

I really enjoyed Leap! I wasn’t a huge fan of the artwork, but that’s just personal preference—I love graphic novels with more dynamics in terms of color. The story was really sweet though. Two roommates learning who they are, what they want, and more importantly, what they don’t want. I really loved the dynamic between Ana and Sara. They were a good duo for the main characters of this story.

Overall, I really enjoyed Leap and would recommend it to anyone who loves graphic novels.

Simina Popescu's Leap was a fantastic debut centers around a performing arts school in Bucharest, Romania. Ana is on the contemporary track and has been in a secret relationship with Carina, a dancer in the classical track. While Carina focuses on her dance, Ana focuses on Carina, as she feels adrift with her own dancing. Ana's new roommate, Sara, is also on the contemporary track after switching from classical. Ana feels an instant connection with Sara and they quickly become friends. There was so much packed into this graphic novel - toxic relationships, self-esteem, exploring sexuality, crushes and Popescu does an excellent job portraying the emotions teenagers have, and the different relationships feel real. While I cared for Ana, I found myself frustrated for her, much like Sara, as she continues to give up meeting with friends and skipping class for Carina's wants and needs while Carina never reciprocates. I also admired how the crush Sara has 0n her teacher is handled. I will definitely pick up Popescu's next novel, and would recommend for those who like Tillie Walden's novels.

This graphic novel made me feel a lot of things. It also really made wish that I was a ballerina off in another country, having relationship problems and issues with my hobbies and passions in life. Is it bad I’m rooting for the two main characters to get together?

**Will be published on Oct. 11, 2024

My Thoughts:

Leap by author/illustrator/artoonist Simina Popescu (they/she) of Romania joins other difficult LGBTQIA+ coming of age graphic novels like Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera, Sunhead by Alex Assan, and Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American by Laura Gao. I would perhaps also include a connection to Skim by Mariko Tamaki here. Some of these connections are complicated, or rather, my feelings about the graphic novels are complicated. However, I connect these because my feelings toward this graphic novel are also complicated.

Perhaps complicated is the wrong word. I felt so bad/sad/sorry for Ana as she just kept giving and giving to Carina without any real commitment back. As a high school teacher, I have seen this where one partner is not willing to give the other partner the same amount of devotion. It does not matter if the couples are same sex or cis. What matters is that the some partners want to be on the down low for lots of reasons that harm the other partner. As a teacher, it is difficult to watch, but also difficult to stop. It is part of the coming of age process. We can advise, but ultimately, it is the teen or young adult that needs to learn from this and come out stronger in the end (hopefully). That may be inaccurate or even bad advice on my part. Granted, I am not a trained counselor/psychologist. But really, that transactional conflict where the text digs into my own teaching experiences is what makes this a complicated read for me. I could not distance this text from my own students.

Ultimately, perhaps the best advice I should use is to give the right book at the right time when I am not sure what else I can do.

From the Publisher:
A coming-of-age graphic novel following two dancers at a conservative performing arts school―exploring friendship, first love, and what it means to fall out of step with your own dreams.

Ana has been studying contemporary dance since she was little, but her heart isn’t in it anymore. Instead her focus is on Carina―a beautiful, ambitious ballerina whose fear of being outed keeps Ana in the closet and their fragile relationship from seeing the light of day. Risking her own career, Ana gives up more and more in order to fit into the shadows of Carina’s life.

Sara, on the other hand, is fielding whispers she may be the best dancer their school has produced in years. Much of that is thanks to her mentor and instructor, Marlena, who plucked Sara from the classical track and encouraged her to blossom as a contemporary dancer. Sara has always been in awe of Marlena, but recently, that admiration has sparked into something more, and Sara’s not sure what to do about it.

As junior year at their performing arts school begins, Ana and Sara are assigned as roommates. What starts off as a tentative friendship soon becomes a much-needed anchor.

Publication Information:
Author/Illustrator: Simina Popescu
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press (November 12, 2024)
Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1250838308

Beautiful art that conveyed the movement of the dances and the characters' different styles. I liked the combination of early stages in sexual identity exploration and the difficulties that come with established relationships, and how even people at different points of life can be an important part of another's growth. I thought the individual issues each main character worked through were very realistic to what modern queer teens face and the ups and downs were addressed so well.

As a lover of graphic novels this is an amazing read! As a dancer of 30+ years, this book accurately describes the life of a dancer. Bring in the emotions of finding a passion and working through the ups and downs, crituques and discipline this book is amazing!

Great YA novel in going through the motions of finding who you are and the relationships of the people around you! Loved that friendships were portrayed in this novel as real, healthy, and as bumpy they can be in real life. The art was also very beautiful! Can't wait to see it in full color!

Leap is a beautiful graphic novel about teenagers learning about themselves and accepting hard truths and living through it with the support of their friends. Just reading it can help queer youth see themselves and feel understood. I will definitely be suggesting this be purchased by our teen librarian. BEAUTIFUL! I enjoyed the art in this book, I'm quite choosy when it comes to the drawing and coloring styles in the graphic novels I read. I found Leap enjoyable to look at and read.

Friendship & first love- key components of many YA stories. Leap does a nice job of exploring how friendship can evolve and relationships devolve. It also takes on a somewhat taboo topic - teen crush on a teacher. All of this is explored in a way that feels authentic and brings the reader into the story both through the words and the illustrations.

I really enjoyed Leap. It was a slow burn of teen angst and finding yourself. The LGBT themes were strong and represented well. The art style is beautiful and I Ioved getting a little treat when we got full color pages. All in all a great graphic novel!